Introduction to Business Information Systems

Aims and objectives

• Identify the role, purpose and contribution of Information Systems to modern organisations operating in business environments characterised by uncertainty, complexity and turbulence
• Explain the relationship between people, processes, and iIformation Systems, and understand the importance of information and Information Systems in supporting and enabling core business processes (both intra- and inter-organisational)
• Demonstrate an understanding of the ways in which Information Systems can contribute toorganisational innovation, competitiveness, efficiency and effectiveness
• Explain how organisations go about acquiring, developing and implementing Information Systems, and appreciate the major issues involved in successfully accomplishing this
• Describe and understand the major ethical, legal and security concerns associated with the use and storage of data in modern organisations
• Demonstrate appropriate communication skills in group work and written and oral presentations
• Achieve basic competence in using MS Excel and Access for business transactions and processes

Teaching methods

Assessment

Generic skills outcomes

Students will be provided with feedback on progress in attaining the following generic skills:
• Passion for knowledge,
• teamwork skills,
• analysis skills,
• problem solving skills,
• communications skills,
• planning and organising skills, and
• ability to work independently

Content

• Organisations in the digital economy
• Information Systems: their evolution to current role and purpose in business & society
• Strategic review of purposes of commercial business, organisational requirements for Information Systems
• Data and information management in the digital economy; Ethical, legal and security issues; Databases, and their importance to contemporary business
• Business processes: evolution and support of IS
• E-Commerce Networks and commercial internet applications
• IS to support business transactions & processes; Transaction processing systems, supply chain management, customer relationship management; enterprise systems
• IS to support managerial decision making, business intelligence, decision support, and knowledge management; the nature of IS management
• Information Systems requirements analysis; Information systems acquisition, development, and implementation